Most people consider keeping your socks on during sex to be the ultimate passion-killer, but a study from a Dutch university begs to differ.

While aiming to find out what happens in the brain during orgasm, researchers at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands inadvertently discovered that keeping the tootsies toasty had a positive impact on the subjects' ability to reach climax.

When the couples were given socks to wear, about 80% of the couples were able to achieve orgasm compared with 50% previously.

Anything that boosts orgasm potential gets our vote - but keep it sexy though, with a pair of stockings instead.

Is your love in full bloom or is your heart under the heel of some evil heatbreaker’s shoe? If you have someone to spoil this Valentine’s Day, then why not treat him to a cheeky sex toy that won’t break the bank, leaving plenty of pennies left over for a fancy meal or something else that will make his day.

If you’re a single man, then spend those Valentine’s reserves on making February 14th that much more fun for you. After all, to truly find love you have to love yourself, and what better way to love yourself than with a sex toy?

Regardless of your relationship status this Valentine’s Day, indulgence cums quick and easy (literally) in the form of this week's Awesome Sex Toy, the TENGA Egg Limited Edition Lovers Heart.

Cock rings are one of the simplest sex aids around. Cock rings work by preventing blood from flowing back down the penis, which in turn helps to make erections feel harder and last longer than normal, making your enjoyment last longer and orgasm more likely.

Gentle and safe, cock rings are a great alternative to libido enhancing pills and delay sprays.

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Tired Monday morning commuters were no doubt thinking ahead to Friday night as soon as they spotted METRO's '5 of the Best Sex Toys' feature.

Getting top billing was Lovehoney's brand new silicone rabbit vibrator - you can check out the Lovehoney Oh! Rabbit range here.

The top toys were:

1. Lovehoney Oh! Rabbit Slimline Silicone Vibrator.

2. TENGA 3D Polygon Male Masturbator.

3. Julian Snelling Stainless Steel Large Butt Plug.

4. We-Vibe 3 Rechargeable Clitoral and G-Spot Vibrator.

5. A rabbit ears-only vibrator like the Lovehoney Love Bunny Vibrating Bullet Rabbit.

Do you agree with the METRO selection? What would be your top 5 toys?

Lovehoney's bestselling Sqweel Oral Sex Simulator has made its cinematic debut in French language film "L'Amore Dure Trois Ans" (Love Lasts 3 Years) directed by Frédéric Beigbeder. That's right, the sex toy in L'Amore Dure Trois Ans is a Sqweel!

The man holding the Sqweel in the film's trailer comments, "It's obviously a woman who invented this to ruin a man's life." How wrong he is though, as the inventor is none other than Mr Trevor Murphy!

You can see the Sqweel in L'Amour Dure Trois Ans trailer below at around the 1.28 mark.

Ready to shake up your sex life?

These ten positions from Tracey Cox 100 Hot Sex Positions are ideal for injecting new ideas this Valentine's Day.

From romantic to raunchy, comfortable to challenging, a new sex position is a great way to have a healthier, happier sex life with minimum effort on your part.

Japanese animation (anime) is playing a bigger part in Western culture and now makes up a reasonable percentage of televisual viewing in the USA and Europe. Colourful, fun and crazy, the wide eyed and small nosed characters of anime have been dubbed in a multitude of languages, making them universally recognisable as culture figures.

Chasing monsters, going on adventures and generally being pretty awesome, anime characters are aspirational, appealing and great fun to emulate.

Perhaps we can thank mainstream anime for the increased interest in Hentai, a sexualised form of anime depicting anything from a raunchy romp between two lovers to space-age sex bots capable of changing gender at will and doing unspeakable things with tentacles.

Animated porn is no longer the reserve of comic book fans, it’s gone mainstream and it’s getting bigger.

As all Lovehoney customers know, where there’s a kink there’s a product. Taking Hentai fanaticism to one level above non-functional Dakimakura pillows is this week's Awesome Sex Toy...

Ran Amano Japanese Blow Up Sex Doll

One of the best Valentine's gifts you can give, or receive, is lingerie. Beautiful, elegant and timelessly sexy underwear is the perfect present to give the one you love this February. To help you decide which garment to give your lover, we've compiled some key Valentine's Day lingerie looks so, if you know what your partner likes, you can find the right style, colour and shape for them with ease.

With Lovehoney's no-quibble 1 year returns policy and free UK returns, you can shop for sexy lingerie with complete confidence, knowing that if it doesn't fit you can always send it back.

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Valentine's Day gives lovers everywhere the green light for sexy gift-giving. Of course, you need to bring romance as well as raunch but it's worth remembering that the annual celebration of coupledom puts love and lust on the agenda.

Take inspiration from these Valentine's gift ideas, and there's hardly any way you can go wrong.

Our giftwrapping service makes sure your gift is presented beautifully, while our generous returns policy means that you can send anything she didn't like back for up to a whole year after you bought it.

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The countdown to Valentine’s Day is on and time is ticking away. While trekking through the minefield of hearts, flowers and chocolates be sure to save a few pennies for Valentine’s Night.

After you’ve pampered your partner, take some time to satisfy your sexuality together and make it a Valentine's to remember.

Regardless of your budget we have an array of Valentine's ideas for couples to enjoy together in the spirit of romance and closeness.

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